Vending-machine.



(I. RUZSICSKA VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC4 6, I9Ia LISLQ?.

2 SIIEETSWSHEET I.

@fda INyENTo TORNEYS o. RUZslCsKA. VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILEDDEC. 6. l9|5 l,l.8l,547.

Intvntvd Muy 2, MHS

2 SHEETS SHEET 2y INVENTOR jATTORNEYS..

narran sfra'rus g earner onirica.

DO BUZSICSKA, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-SIXTH TO HENRYLIEFERANT AND ONE-SIXTH T0 SAM BUSCH, BOTH OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Application led December 6, 1915.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known thatl, Do RUzsIosKA, a citizen of the vUnited States, anda'resident of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, ofwhich the following is a speciication.

This invention relates' to a vending machine for dispensing articleswhen a coin is deposited in the machine, the machine delivering thearticle when the coin has been deposited and no further manipulation ofthe machine is necessary beyond the positive insertion of the coin inthe slot.

The invention is adapted for many'sizes and for diiferent articles, butis principally designed for use in small machines, such as machines thatwill4 deliver chewing gum and like packages, and is adapted for use introlley cars and similarconveyances, themachine not being aptv to beinjured ,byf` any swaying or movement of the car, occupies but a smallspace so that it can be easily installed between windows of cars,-anddoes not project sufficiently to interfere with' the view or comfortof any of the passengers, the machine at the same time being handy foruse. ,y

This invention further provides a machine of this kind in which thechute for holding the goods is easily installed and detached so that ifnecessary a filled chute can be easily placed in the machine in lieu ofan empty one, thus saving time, this being important where machines oncars are to be filled and itv would be objectionable to have anyconsider'- able time used for such purpose.

This machine is also designed. to provide anoutletwhich presents the gumor other article vended so that it can be easily Vwithdrawn from themachine, but there are no trays or other projecting parts'to catch onthe clothing or have similar `objectionable features, also preventingthe accumulation of dust. l

A. further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this kindin which any coin smaller in diameter than the` coin for which themachine is designed, will be received into the machine, Ibut the machinewill not deliver an article, and similarly, a coin lighter in weightthan the required coin will not operate the releasing mechanism of thearticles sold. 4

Another object of the invention to prov Specification of Letters Patent.

j Patented May 2, 1916.

serial No. 65,190.

yide a means for preventing the insertion of iron or steel disks orslugs, these iron or steel disks acting magnetically on the stoppingdevice which positively prevents the insertion of such slug any materialdistance into the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide the closing of the.V slotthrough which coms are inserted when the supply of articles in themachine is exhausted.

lthrough the chute showing how the goods 'are held and delivered.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section approximately on line 5 5 in Fig. l, andillustrating the relation of the coin slot and the guidefor the coin asit is passing' through the slot. Fig.l 6 is a perspectivey view of aweight that is deposited on the machine and which operates to releasethe slot-closing means, and Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the mannerin which a slug made of metal, affected by magnetism, is held from anymaterial entrance into thel machine.

The machine is preferably installed so that it can be securely fastenedin place against thievery, but its construction is such thatit has readymeans for-` removing the chute carrying part from the back plate, and inturn it 'has means for easily removing the back of the chute carryingpart to uncover the Vdevice and permit its inspection and supply.

In the form shown, the supporting plate v10 is secured to the wall, postor other element on which the machine is to be secured, thesupportingplate l0 being usually fastened by passing screws throughholes in it, and it is provided with means for removably holding thecasing on the machine, such means in the machine illustrated consistingof headed studs 11, behind the heads of which pass the slots 12 in aback plate A13 of the casing, the `casing having a front plate 11, sides15 and atop 16. The top 16 is provided with slots into which the finbehereinafter described, within the casmg gers 17 pass, and a lock18 has atongue 19 which fits into the slot 20, the fingers 17 and the tongue 19acting to hold the casing against the back plate 13, the back plate 13being in turn held by the before-mentioned studs 11 and also by a tongue21 of the lock 22, which tongue is operated by means of a f suitable keywhich is inserted through the usual slot 23 in the lock 22. rlhe lock 18has a key-receiving part that is arranged so that it projects from theback of the back plate 13, as at 24 in Fig. 2,`so that the lock is notin sight nor available for operation until after the back plate 13 hasbeen removed from the supporting plate 10, as will be evident. When amachine is to be renewed and it is to be done in a hurry so as toprevent the counting of' coin and the insertion of articles while themachine is in place, a filled machine supported, as will and on the'backplate 13, can be quickly placed on a supporting plate 10 by passing itover the studs 11 and locking it at the top, in lthe form shown thisbeing done by means of the tongue 21 of the lockv 22. When the machineis empty, it can be removed by unlocking the lock 22 and slipping theback plate over the studs 11 and a filled machine quickly inserted inits place as above described. When the casing is to have its coinremoved or to have articles installed therein, the lock 18 is operatedto withdraw the tongue 19, and the casing, which is preferably made ofsheet metal` can be lifted from the fingers 17 and the operatingmechanism of the device is accessible, the chute can be easily filledwith articles and coins taken from the casing without any difficulty.

The chute 25 has any suitable means for supporting it on the back plate13, the form shown consisting of the brackets 26 which are fastened bythe screws 27 to the back plate 13, and a plate 28 secured by a screw 29to the back plate 13. The screw 29 passes through a hole 30 in theclamping plate 31, which is held by means of a screw 32 so that ittightlygrasps the end of a spring 33, the spring extending downward andbearing against the back of a lever 34 which is pivoted as at 34,preferably at the bottom part of the plate 28, the bottom end of whichis bent upward as at 35 and eX- tends into the bottom part of the insideof the chute 25, this end 35 being preferably inclined to a considerableextent and acting to support the articles or packages 36, these beingusually made to approximately fit the chute, the chute and articles inthis particular machine that is illustrated being made oblong. The chutecomprises the back 37 against which the lever 34 normally rests, sides38 and front pieces 39 which have an opening 40 between them so that theplacing of articles in the machine is convenient and easy. The chutealso contains a follower 41 which insures the descent of the articlesand also makes it positive that the lowermost article is put intodelivering position when the lever 34 is pulled back. The lever 34 has anose 42 which extends around to the side of the chute 25 and has itsrounded end 43 arranged opposite the slot 44 in the front plate 14 ofthe casing. Vhen a coin 45 is pushed into the slot 44 it engages the bottom edge 46 of the slot and also the rounded part 43 of the nose 42 andthe lever 34 is swung backward so that it has its bottom part 35 pushedback to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. If the coin is ofthe desired size, that is, of the size for which the machine isdesigned, the lever 34 is pushed back far enough so that the forward end47 of the bottom part 35 passes beyond the back of the lowermost package36, as shown in dotted outline at 48 in Fig. 4. This permits thelowermost of the packages to drop to the dotted position on the ends 86of the bottom of the chute as shown at 49 in said figure, the lever 34,however, being held back in'this position, at least momentarily, byreason of a pivoted ratchet 50 which swings on the pivot 51 at the sideof the chute and has teeth 52 thereon, the lever when in the rearmostposition shown in Fig. 4 being held by the last tooth 53 which engagesthe bottom of the slot 54 in the extension 55 of the lever 34,' thebottom of the slot 54 being preferably tapered so as to pass in betweenthe teeth 52 with ease. When said lever 34 -is held by the tooth 53 andthe lowermost package in the position shown at 49, the coin has beenforced downward by reason of the curved surface 43 engaging it and thecoin is guided in its descent by the shelf 56 and the coin chute 57.

Underneath the coin chute and secured to the arm 58 of the ratchet 50 isa plate 59, and when the coin hits the plate 59, this plate, the arm 58and the ratchet 50 all act as a trip, the rack is thrown upward with asharp jerk and the spring 33 is allowed to press or snap the lever 34forward` which pushes the article in the position 49 in Fig. 4 outbetween the sidewings 60 of the chute and the article falls down betweensaid wings 60 and the bottom 61 of the delivery tray G2 and it is thusdirected to the slot 63. The slot 63 is narrower than the package islong, and it has a supporting finger 64 which holds one end' of thepackage as'at 65, and one end 66 of the package is thus permitted toproject a substantial distance from the slot 63, but it-does not dropout, and if grasped and slightly turned, it can be easily withdrawn. Thenarrow slot; with its function of tilting the article at its deliverypoint and allowing a part of Iit to project melee? but still holding itfrom falling, overcomes the necessity of a delivery tray which has somedisadvantages, such as undue projection and the catching of dust anddirt.

The bottom package is projected from its place by reason ot the turnedor flanged part 47 of the bottom 35 of the lever 34.. rllhe packageabove the bottom package, when the bottom package is in the positionshown at 49, is prevented from being propelled forward by reason of thestrip 67 which projects across the lower part of the slot 40. To guidethe coin 45 as it passes through the coin slot 44 and engages the end t3of the nose 42, l provide a guide which prevents tilting of the coin anddirects it, said guide having an upper projecting part 68a which liesclose against the side of the slot and prevents the coin from ridingupward at that point, the part 68a being in line with the end 43 of thenose, and a lower projecting part 69a which is to one side of the end 13and prevents tilting of the coin while it is in engagement with the end43. lf a coin is too small to Atorce the lever 34 back far enough toengage the last tooth 53, the bottom 35 of the lever 34 is not pulledback far enough to put it in ejecting position, but ifk a slug of verylight Weight and of the proper diameter is inserted in the slot, and thelever 34 is pushed back far enough, the weight oit the coin, when itdescends and hits the plate 59. is not suthcient to trip the lever toeject a package. The removal of such a released package, however, thatcould be ejected if the plate 59 wad tripped, is impossible by means ofa wire inserted through the slot G3, as the bottom 61 of the tray 62acts as a shield to prevent the engagement thereof by means of a pin orlong needle through the slot. rlhe tripping plate 59 cannot be operatedthrough the slot 63 on account ot one of the wings 60 shielding it from.access 'through the slot.

Adjacent to the slot l have suspended a magnet so that it can swing tothe desired extent` the form shown consisting of a magnet 63 pivoted bymeans of a pivotal pin or screw 69 to a block 70, the poles ot themagnet being arranged opposite the slot and if a steel or iron or anyother slug that is adected by magnetism. is inserted in the slot, thecoin .being held/hy the slot against side movement, attractsy the magnetand interferes with its ready insertion. ll, however, the slug is pushedin an attempt to pass it by the magnet, the coin engages a suitable pinor screvv '71 which, when the magnet is drawn toward the chute by theslug 72, projects a slight distance into a recess or hole 73 in the sideof the chute and it is impossible to force the slug in en gagement withthe mechanism "for setting the expelling device, and the com cannot vwhich is pivoted at 75 and has an upper edge 76 that is so disposed thatit is in the path of travel ot' the lip 77 ot the followe'l Ll1. andwhen the lip 77 hits the end u 1:" is `when the last of the packages 36is expelled and the follower drops, carrying the arm 74 with it, andthus swinging the upright arm 78 oi'l the right-angled lever so' thatthe pin .79 is` withdrawn from a perforation 80-in the flanged end 8l ofa closnre plate 32, the closure plate when released swinging downward byits own weight on the pivotal pin 33 which is preferably a screw withits head slightly removed from the face oi one ol the sides of the chuteWhen so swung, the edge 3l of the closure plate 32 swings beyond theodge oi' the slot 44 and the slot is closed. Vll`he closure plate 32 ispreferably arranged so that it can be removed t0 permit the readvfilling of the chute with packages oi' goods to be sold. and to providetor the easy removal and installation oi the closure plate it is usuallymade with a slot having tapered edges 85. the slot beingarranged toproject upwardly into the plate, the tapered` edge o the slot providingfor its quick installation, and the closure plate is then held so thatthe pin T9 can be placed into the hole 3() and the device is set.

The Lbove description and illustration to which it applies show anembodiment ot the invention that operates successfully. but it will heevident that changes can be made in this construction and theproportions and dispositions ol' the parts without departing trom theinvention, and l do not wish to be limited to the exact constructionillustrated.

`The lever 34 is held bach in its preparatory or expelling position bythe rack 50. or its equivalent, so as to prevent anv swinging of thelever haci; and forth. This prevents such sw 'ag by a pin or wirebearing on the nose 4,2, since it no stop Afor the lever were provided,it could eject the lowest article l The piate iii is placed so that notripping et' the plate al) can be done hv a hatpin or similar implementinserted through the slot' it.

ln this machine the erjiellingjg device. which is placed in position'when a coin is inserted and later released or tripped by the same coinso an article is expelled or delivered, is conveniently arranged and iscompact to permit the major portion of the machine to be utilized forarticles on sale.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A vending machine comprising a. stationary article chute, a leverfulcrumed close to the side of said chute and provided with a lateralextension normally serving as a support for articles iii the chute,means on the lever between the extension and its point of fulcruming,whereby it may be swung by an inserted coin into a non-supportingposition, means for releasably holding said lever in the last-namedposition, and means in the path of the coin for releasing said holdingmeans.

2. A vending machine comprising a. stationary article chute, a leverpivoted close to the chute near its upper end and having an extension toextend below said chute. means actuated by the insertion of a coin forswinging said lever on its pivot into a nonsupporting position, meansfor releasably holding said lever in the lastenamed vposition, and meansin the path of the coin 'for releasing said holding means.

3. A vending machine comprising a stationarv article chute, a leverprovided with a `lateral extension normally serving as a support forarticles in the chute, means on the lever between the extension and itspoint 1 of fulcruiiiing. whereby it may be swung by an inserted coininto a non-supporting position. means tor releasably holding said eleverin the last-nanied position` and means in the path oi the coin forreleasing said holding means.

l. A vending machine comprising a chute having means on the bottom forsupporting a column of articles, the bottom having an opening therein, alever with a bottom portion in said opening, said bottom beingconstructed so that it supports the column of articles above the bottomot' the chute. means for engagen'ient with an inserted coin for movingthe lever so that it does not support the articles, a holding means forretainingr said lever in various positions, tripping means connectedwith the holding means,` said tripping means being adapted to beactuated by a coin. and means for forcing said lever to its normalposition when the tripping means is operated.

A vending machine comprising a chute having means in the bottom thereoffor supporting a column of articles. a swinging lever having its bottomportion arranged in the chute and adapted to Support the column ot'articles above the bottom of the chute. means on said lever adapted tobe actuatedA byl a coin whereby the lever is swung to permit the columnof articles to be dropped so that the bottom article is in the path oftravel ot' the lever` a holding and tripping means in engagementwith'the lever and adapted to be actuated by a coin subsequent to themovement of the lever by said coin, and means for moving the lever toits normal position when it is tripped.

6. A vending machine comprising a chute for holding a column ofarticles, a lever having its end adapted to enter the chute and supportthe articles above the bottom 4of the chute, the chute having means forsupporting the articles when the lever is withdrawn, means attached tothe lever for withdrawing it from the chute by the insertion of a coininto the machine, said lever when withdrawn permitting the dropping ofthe packages so as rto place one of the articles to be expelled in thepath of travel of the level', a ratchet adapted to hold said lever inits withdrawn position, means on said ratchet adapted to be engaged bythe coin for tripping the ratchet, and a spring for returning the leverto its normal position when the ratchet is tripped, said lever'on itsreturn ejecting the article in -its path of travel and lthen supportingthe column of articles.

7. A vending machine comprising a chute having means therein forsupporting a columnlof articles, a lever pivotally -supported on theback of the chute and having a nose extending around the side of thechute, a casing with a coin slot therein opposite the nose whereby theinsertion of a coiiiy moves said nose and the lever, the lever having abottom portion thereon which normally supports the column of articlesabove the support in the chute, said bottom portion when the lever iswithdraw releasing said column of articles and taking a position so thatone of said articles is in its path ofl travel when it returns to itsnormal position,'a ratchet pivoted on the side of said chute. andadapted to engage the lever to hold the lever in its withdrawn position,a tripping means on said ratchet to move the ratchet so as to releasethe lever, a spring for moving said lever to it normal position when itis released, and means for conducting a coin after it passes the noseand directing it to the tripping mechanism, said coin directing meansbeing so disposed so that it prevents the passage ot' a straightimplement from the coin slot to said tripping means.

8. A vending machine comprising a chute having means therein forsupporting a column of articles, a lever pivotally supported on the backof the chute and having a nose ve\tending around the side of the chute,a

casing with a coin slot therein opposite the nose whereby the insertionof a coin moves said nose and the lever, the lever having a bottomportion thereon which normally supports the column of articles above thesupportin the chute, said bottom portion when the lever is withdrawnreleasing said column of articles and taking a position so that fone ofsaid articles is in its path of travel passes the nose and directing itto the tripping mechanism, said coin directing means being so disposedso that it prevents the pas sage of a straight implement from the coinslot to said tripping means, a delivery tray having side wings, and aslot in the casing at the bottom of the trayz said tray having itsdelivery surface bent so as to form a projecting part between the slotand the column of articles.

9. A vending machine comprising a chute for supporting a column ofarticles to be vended, the chute having means on the bottom thereof forsupporting said column, a lever pivoted to the back of the chute` andhaving a bottom portion yto extend into the chute, said bottom of thelever supporting the column of articles above the bottom of the chute,the lever having a nose at the side of the chute, a casing having a coinslot therein, the slot being disposed so that a coin when forced betweenthe edge of the slot and the nose of the lever forces the lever to bewithdrawn from the position where it supports the column of articles,the articles when so released dropping to place one of said articles inthe path of travel of the lever when said lever swings to its normalposition, coin guides adjacent to said nose to prevent tilting of thecoin, an extension on the lever, a right-angled ratchet pivoted at theside of the chute, said ratchet being adapted to engage the extension ofthe lever to hold the lever in its withdrawn position, a plate on theratchet adapted to receive a coin subsequent to the operation of thelever by said coin so that the ratchet is tripped, a spring to force thelever to its normal posi tion when released from the ratchet, coindirecting means between the nose and the tripping means, said coindirecting means causing the coin to travel in a circuitous route, and adelivery tray having a bent portion therein, the casing having a slotbelow the bent portion whereby an article passing down the tray isdirected to the slot, the bent portion of the tray preventing access bya straight implement through the slot to the column of articles 10. Avending machine comprising a stationary article chute, a spring-pressedlever pivoted at its upper end to one side of the chute, said leverlying against the chute whereby its swinging movement is limited by thechute, the lever having a lateral eX- tension normally serving as asupport for articles in the chute, and means 011 the lever disposed sothat an inserted coin swings the lever' so that it does not engage thechute and permits the articles in the chute to drop.

11. A vending machine comprising a sta tionary article chute, a leverfulcrumed at its top end to one side of the chute, a spring bearing onthe lever and pressing it toward the chute, the chute acting to limitthe swinging of the lever when it is actuated by the spring, the chutehaving an opening in its bottom, the lever having a lateral eXtensionextending into the chute when the lever engages the chute, saidextension supporting the articles in the chute when in such position,and means on the lever whereby said means, when engaged by an insertedcoin, swings the lever from engagement with the chute and withdraws itssupport from the articles in the chute.

ln testimony that 1 claim the foregoing, I hereto set my hand, Ithis 2ndday of December, 1915.

DO RUZSCSKA.

